Piezoelectric and dielectric properties of low temperature sintering Pb(Mn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–Pb(Zr_0.48Ti_0.52)O₃ ceramics with variation of sintering time

Pb(Mn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–Pb(Zr_0.48Ti_0.52)O₃ (abbreviated as PMN–PZN–PZT) ceramics containing Li₂CO₃, Bi₂O₃ and CuO as sintering aids were fabricated using two-stage calcinations method in order to develop low temperature sintering ceramics for multilayer piezoelectric actuators. Their dielectric and piezoelectric properties were investigated according to the variation of sintering time. All the specimens sintered at 930°C for 60~150 min showed tetragonal phases without secondary phases. Electromechanical coupling factor (kp), dielectric constant (ε _r) and piezoelectric constant (d ₃₃) increased with the increase of the sintering time. The mechanical quality factor (Qm) exhibited maximum of 1,815 with the increase of sintering time for 120 min and then slightly decreased. At the sintering temperature of 930°C and the sintering time of 120 min, the optimal values such as the density of 7.69 g/cm³, kp of 0.516, ε _r of 1158, Qm of 1815, and d ₃₃ of 287 pC/N were found for multilayer piezoelectric actuators.